Finance

Freight costs from the Far East to the U.S. and Europe have increased week-on-week, while almost 150 container ships currently unable to leave the Arabian Gulf due to the risk of sailing through an active conflict zone, according to analysis from ocean and freight rate benchmarking platform Xeneta.

US companies SolSource Solutions and TriBeam Financial have launched a prepaid residential solar and storage financing product designed to unlock federal tax credits of up to 40%.

The EU’s third cross-border solar tender is offering a share of €54.9 million ($63.8 million) to solar-plus-storage projects in selected Bulgarian districts and ground-mounted solar projects in Finland, with funding provided by Luxembourg. The deadline for applications is September 1.

The transaction is the latest big announcement in a hot market for US power and utilities mergers and acquisitions, as companies jostle for position in anticipation of AI-driven demand spike.

Silver prices have resumed their climb, reaching $95 per ounce this morning. Silver analyst Philip Newman tells pv magazine that escalating tensions in the Middle East are expected to continue driving investment demand for safe-haven assets such as gold and silver.

Canadian researchers conducted the first nationwide survey on public attitudes toward agrivoltaics, finding strong support across provinces with 85.8% of respondents in favor, although preferences varied by configuration. Opposition mainly stemmed from resistance to change, aesthetic concerns, and lack of awareness, highlighting the need for public education and updated policy frameworks to enable wider adoption.

The U.S. thin-film solar module manufacturer’s stock price fell more than 12% in extended trading following the earnings announcement, partly due to lower-than-expected guidance for 2026 sales and revenue.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $350 million loan to Gulf Renewable Energy to build 194 MW of solar capacity, including two battery-integrated projects, in central Thailand.

Zeo Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Creekstone Energy to supply 280 MW of behind-the-meter solar plus long-duration energy storage (LDES) for a new AI-focused data center campus in the US state of Utah.

A global study finds climate change will sharply increase high-temperature risks, accelerate degradation, and raise costs for rooftop PV, with economically disadvantaged regions hit hardest. Researchers warn current IEC standards underestimate future risks, urging urgent updates to avoid stranded assets and rising electricity costs.